Ford C-MAX Energi Plug-In Hybrid Rocks The Fuel Efficiency

Ford, already putting up some very impressive official Environmental Protection Agency fuel efficiency numbers with both its 2013 Fusion Hybrid and C-Max Hybrid, now has another feather to add to the cap in its effort to knock Toyota off the king of the hybrids hill. Fresh numbers from the EPA indicate its forthcoming C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid has scored an impressive 108 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) in the city and a combined EPA-certified rating of 100 MPGe.

What exactly does 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) combined mean for the average driver? According to Ford and the EPA, saving nearly $7,000 in fuel costs in five years. Ford, in further trying to define why this is important for you and I put it this way – “a Californian facing record $5-per-gallon gasoline and turning in an average 23-mpg vehicle for a C-MAX Energi would pay the equivalent of $1.25 per gallon for the same distances traveled.”

image via Ford

The C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, which we first saw at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, will price for nearly $30,000 after a federal tax credit. It will be available this fall, and is Ford’s first production plug-in hybrid as well as being part of the venerable automaker’s first hybrid-only dedicated line of vehicles.

According to previous information Ford has put out about its plug-in hybrid, it should offer a range of 550 miles in total and have a projected total system horsepower of 188 that reaches a peak of 195 with a fully charged battery and stems from the combination of a gasoline engine and a battery-driven electric motor.

In terms of its electric only mode capabilities, which the driver can enter via the touch of a button, Ford says the C-Max Energi offers drivers a total EV range of 20 miles. The car makes use of lithium-ion batteries to power the electric motor, and these batteries, depending upon their recharging power source, can be “topped off” in around two and a half hours. It is also equipped with regenerative braking to help slightly extend possible range.

I am the editor-in-chief and founder for EarthTechling. This site is my desire to bring the world of green technology to consumers in a timely and informative matter. Prior to this my previous ventures have included a strong freelance writing career and time spent at Silicon Valley start ups.